Modern motoring

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 27 February 1923, Page 9

Modern motoring

AN INTERESTING JOURNEY. Mr. S. Eudre* and family, of Kakahi, did a t.wpnty-one day*' tour in a Ford motor truck, and covered flti niie-, carrying all equipment for roadside camping. The start was made at a Fpot on th« mnp that no city motorist wcti d ever dream of trying to set at. Kakahi is a town that mos-t motorists at thi* end believed wa* isolated with Taumarunui. However, the party came via. TanmaruniH to Aria, where they picked up the only reoognieert highway in the King Country, and then throupn Pio Pio on to Te. Kuiti. through the. Waikato to Taupo, then on to Napier, camping each night on the outskirts of the towns which they \-i.Mted, breaking camp each morning. The whole journey wae completed through to Wellington, and back to the starting place without mishap.

'GO" AND STOP.' ■Motorists arc getting careless vrith the hand signals, for the reason that they helieve the "stop" sign and the "go" rjign are quit* enough. It is always of the greateet help to the "man at the corner" when you eignnl exactly in which direction you are going. He can't be expected to be a thousrht-reader, especially the signal that means a turn to the right. In many cases the "'man on the corner" has two cars turning in opposite directions at one time, although both drivere have the came signal to "go." But when he s<>es the driver of the first vehicle with his hand out. he usually turns around and stops the other ]driver from starting, until the first one i» clear. Too many drivers are busy inspecting the landscape, or the girls that adorn it. wnen waiting for the s'gnal to proceed, and so engrossed do they get, in these foolish observations taat they fail to take immediate notice of the signal to 'go." Blocks in the traffic are almost unknown in Auckland yet, and the sorious effects of delays. Motorists are quick to pick out the new "cop" on the job for the first time, 'but the eld "cop" can pick out the fool motorist quicker.

THE AUSSIE. Mr. C. F. Sanderson arrived from Sydney last Wedneeday by the Ulimaroa with his famous Vauxhall car, which ha« done a lot of hard racing, and holds most of the inter-state recorder It in a 30.08 h.p. Mr. Sanderson has a reputation in Australia as a crack driver, and it shows the very beet sportsmanship to bring a big car across the. water juet to have a shot at the New Zealand CupHe will find the "boys" over here very keen sports, and no doubt will find some of the cars hard to beat. Mr. Sanderson's car left Melbourne "at 4.30 a.m. and arrived at Sydney at 7.13 p.m., -which time beat the best previous record, held by the Essex, by 53 minutes.

MURPHY WIHS TITLE. Jimmy Murphy, the only American to win the French Grand Prix, added to his laurels at Bevcrley Hills speedway, -in the final champion event of the A.A-A. of America for the year of 250 mile* championship. Eighty thousand spectators witnesaed this big event, which had been postponed sinse Thanksgiving Day because of rain. Murphy, who had wan such fame on hit Dusenburg, drove a Durant fix cylinder Special, instead of hie Murphy Special with a Ducenburg engine. Murphy was hard pushed all the way. Only three car lengths separated the first 3 care. The 250 miles was covered in 2li 10m 535, an average of 114.6 miles per hour, or 3.4 miles faster than Murphy's record, made at San Francisco last yearMurphy never has been headed since he beat Tommy Milton, last year's pionMurphy has the title now of champion driver of the world. —Extract from Los Angeles "Sunday Times."

WHAT ARC YOU WAITING FOB » NOW* I'm waiting until the prices get back to normal. Waiting until the clip id gold. Waiting for the butter cheque or bonus. Waiting until the annual balance is out, etc., etc. i But the most popular of ill reasons is, waiting until next year, which never cones. The car agents have a lot to put up with- Every drop in price that occurs, the prospective buyer of a car will look you up to inform you that he told you months ago it was coming, and he is even then suspicious of the next drop. j The present rate of exchange, can no I longer he held as an excuse for a drop in prices, us it is almost normal, and yet car prices are below pre-war prices, while cars are a great deal better in finish, power, and comfort. What applies to the Ford oar also applies to all other makes. Take a six-cylinder car in 1913; a similar car to-day costs very little more, and the improvements are more than worth the extra money. Would you buy, for argument's sake, a 11M5 Podge at £320 or a 1323 model at £3!»5? If both cars were side by side T know which any sane man would buy. The man who says to-day he is waiting for car price* to gpt hack to old levels is waiting, while it has happened. Motor ears are comparatively cheaper and better than ever before. A bold statement, but it stands. LUBRICATION In car* that have seen a lot of service there is usually a fair amount of wear in the rear axle thrust washers or races. This wear aUswe the differentia) gears to shift hack and forth (or fleet), pumping the oil out at the rear wheel hubs, and making a lot of work cleaning off the oil on 4,he tyres. A heavier oil or grease is necessary to prevent this unpleasant work, providing, of course, that a new felt washer has been tried. In hot weather it is very common"to find the oil pumping out of the rear wheel brake drums, and it is useless te try cleaning it off until seme remedy has been used. In order to get the heavy oil, or grease, in the rear end it is necessary to use a gun. and some pressure. Some cars are fitted with gear boxes, and differentials that have oil gauge levels, and in no case should the oil be above the level in hot weather. Neglect te keep the oil up to the level mar result ia na oil travelling along the housing tube te get to the roller races at the wheel end of the axle. Thie is , important.

(BY TpRQUE.)

I MASTER ORIVXR OF THE WORLD. ■Rnrney OldfieM'* famous T..0« An3<>le«-to-Hioenix record, the record that carried the title of "MaMer Driver of the World," has been shattered at l«*t. Tim record was made eight year* ago. The race thon was between Cliff Durant land Barney over a distance of 871 miles. I The time was 23hrs 1 mm -2-.>*ec. \ oung IWaddell's time on a. tour-i-ylindcr , iDurant was 22hr» 44min. Waddell drove the entire distance <?i 671 niilef without leaving the ."oat. IT IS SAID— , I That several of the ridere got giddy «t iTakspuna on Saturday. That at least four different far* are named that will attack the AuekUndWellington record. That doping of ben/.ine for racing is not unknown in Auckland. That a grand procession of racing cars will be held to-morrow at 12.30 in Queen ' Street. That £400 worth of prizes will be ' distributed between the eight events to 1 be raced at Muriwai. That the results of the races will be ' published in the eight o'clock edition on ' Saturday night. • That a detailed account of the cup «nd 1 other events will appear in motor 1 columns next Tuesday. 1 That some of the cup cars look like 1 picture shows, all advertisements.